 South African wicketkeeper Dave Richardson (R) watches as Australia's Mark Waugh (C) hits a six during his innings in the second test in Sydney yesterday. Mark is not out at stumps, with brother Steve Waugh also unbeaten on 18. Australia are 174 runs for three wickets, with South Africa dismissed earlier in the day for 287 in their first innings. REUTERS |
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BOMBAY,
Saturday (Reuters) - Sachin Tendulkar hit out at the cricket selectors
on Saturday for sacking him as Indian captain on poor performance, saying
he seldom got the team he needed for success.
"I rarely got the players I wanted," Tendulkar, who was replaced by Mohammad Azharuddin on Friday after a 17-month stint as the captain, told Reuters in a telephone interview. "The teams that were selected were entirely the choice of the selectors," Tendulkar added. "They even told me what batting order I should follow."
"I am not complaining on that score, but the captain has to be given a free hand so that he can get the best out of the team according to his own plans," Tendulkar added. "Maybe if I had a say in the matter of the team selected, I might have done somewhat better as captain." Azharuddin, admonished by the selectors for not giving his best in Sharjah — India lost all three games in the four-team tournament — will lead the team in a three-nation one-day tournament against Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dhaka starting on January 10. Ajay Jadeja was appointed vice-captain for the trip. Azharuddin will also lead India in the home test series against Australia and a triangular competition involving Australia and Zimbabwe.
Azharuddin replaced Krishnamachary Srikkanth as India captain in 1990 but lost the job to Tendulkar after a disastrous tour of England in 1996. Tendulkar had no qualms about playing under Azharuddin. I have played under him before and it will not make any difference to me," he said. Tendulkar's leadership had been sharply criticised by the media because of India's poor showing at last month's Champions' Trophy in Sharjah and the mixed performance against Sri Lanka in a subsequent one-day series. The three-match series ended 1-1 on Sunday. "I just cannot comprehend the reasons which the selectors have mentioned for my removal as captain," Tendulkar said. "If it is my batting form, then I want to state that it is not really so". Tendulkar gave statistical support to his claim saying he was the only Indian cricketer to have scored more than 1,000 runs in both test and one-day internationals in one calendar year.
"Actually overall, I have scored only 300 runs less than our most prolific batsman last year — Saurav Ganguly — who indeed is having a dream run," he said. "Maybe, they expect me to get a big score every time I go to the crease".
Tendulkar said he had always tried to do his duties to the best of his abilities. "I have always been a very committed player and tried my very best as captain." He said he was not bothered about losing the captaincy and would continue to give his best to the team. "Captaincy is not the ultimate thing for me. Losing it will not shackle my commitment to the game", he said.
NEW DELHI, Saturday (Reuters) - Indian cricket authorities have refused to drop New Delhi as a venue during Australia's tour this year.
SYDNEY, Saturday (Reuters) - Shane Warne took five wickets in a single session to spur Australia's fightback against South Africa in the second test today.
Leg-spinner Warne removed the last five South African batsman before lunch to help dismiss the tourists for 287 in their first innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
At close of play on a second day dominated by the home side, Australia were 174 for three in 67 overs, a deficit of 113 runs after they lost openers Matthew Elliott and captain Mark Taylor
cheaply.
Mark Waugh built on the impetus provided by Warne's performance in quickly wrapping up South Africa's sedate innings by hitting an unbeaten and typically stylish 78 in 135 balls, his 31st test half-century. With one six and nine fours already to his name, Waugh dominated a partnership with Steve Waugh, who finished on 18 not out in his 100 test match for Australia.
The Waugh brothers added 71 runs in an unbroken and highly entertaining partnership that highlighted the slow progress earlier in the day, when the scoring rate hovered around two runs an over for long periods.
Warne made a telling and unexpectedly belated impact on the match after toiling for 22 overs without reward on Friday despite conditions that ideally suited spin. In taking his 13th five-wicket haul in test cricket, Warne became the second-highest Australian wicket-taker in test history.
His total of 294 wickets in 63 tests lifted him above former fast bowler Craig McDermott in the standings, with only fast bowling great Dennis Lillee — who claimed 355 wickets in 70 tests — ahead of him.
"I was disappointed by my performance on Friday," said Warne, who has set his sights on taking his 300th wicket in the current three-test series.
"I thought the wicket played a bit quicker today and that helped me," he said. "I knew that the first session would be crucial and that it was important we took some quick wickets to keep in the game," said Warne, who was clearly troubled by soreness in his shoulder.
"I have been sore for a few days now," said Warne, who bowled 80 overs in the first test against South Africa, which ended in a draw on Tuesday.
Resuming on 197 for five, the South Africans succumbed to Warne in 124.1 overs, with only captain Hansie Cronje offering any prolonged resistance. Cronje spent five-and-a-half hours at the crease and looked set for a deserved century before he fell to Warne's trickery on 88, edging an attempted cover drive to Taylor at slip. Warne, regarded the most likely bowler on either side to exploit a slow, turning pitch in Sydney, finished with figures of five for 75 in 32.1 overs. He also accounted for wicketkeeper Dave Richardson, pace bowler Shaun Pollock and spinners Pat Symcox and Paul Adams.
Scoreboard
South Africa first innings (overnight 197 for five) G.Kirsten c Taylor b McGrath 11 A.Bacher lbw b Blewett 39 J.Kallis run out 16 H.Cronje c Taylor b Warne 88 H.Gibbs c Healy b Bevan 54 B.McMillan c Elliott b Bevan 6 S.Pollock c Taylor b Warne 18 D.Richardson b Warne 6 P.Symcox c Healy b Warne 29 A.Donald not out 4 P.Adams c S.Waugh b Warne 0 Extras (nb-7 b-4 lb-4, w-1) 16 Total (124.1 overs) 287
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-70, 3-70, 4-167, 5-174, 6-228, 7-236, 8-276, 9-287.
Bowling: McGrath 20-6-51-1, Reiffel 24-7-48-0 (nb-3), Warne 32.1-8-75-5 (nb-3), Bevan 23-3-56-2 (nb-1), Blewett 13-5-30-1, M.Waugh 3-1-5-0, S.Waugh 8-4-10-0 (w-1), Elliott 1-0-4-0.
Australia first innings M.Elliott c McMillan b Symcox 32 M.Taylor c Richardson b Pollock 11 G.Blewett b McMillan 28 M.Waugh not out 78 S.Waugh not out 18 Extras (nb-1 lb-6) 7 Total (for 3 wkts, 67 overs) 174
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-59,3-103.
To bat: R.Ponting, M.Bevan, I.Healy, P.Reiffel, S.Warne, G.McGrath.
Bowling: Donald 8-1-35-0, Pollock 14-5-24-1 (nb-1), Symcox 22-8-57-1, Adams 17-4-26-0, McMillan 6-2-26-1.
In the New Year, Sanath Jayasuriya with 99 points still tops the CEAT Cricket Ratings. Saurav Ganguly with 64 points is still second and Aravinda de Silva with his match winning 82 not out in the third one-dayer against India at Margao, shares the second slot with Ganguly.
The latest CEAT Cricket Ratings.
Meanwhile, Australia with 45 points leads the CEAT International Cricket team ratings followed by Pakistan and Sri Lanka 38 points each, England 32, South Africa 29, Zimbabwe and India 18 each, West Indies 14 and New Zealand 13. (Courtesy R.S. Hartley & Company)
The fixtures meeting for the under-13 Division 1 and 2 semi-finals and the Division 3 pre-quarter-finals organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association will be held on December 7 at the St Peter's College Hall, Bambalapitiya at 11 a.m.
Hiran Perera the Tournament Secretary has requested all masters in charge to be present at the draw.
The schools involved are:
Division 1 semi-finalists - St. Sebastian's vs. S. Thomas' Mount, Isipatana vs. St Anthony's Katugastota.
Division 2 semi-finalists Wickremabahu MV Gampola vs Ananda B, St Peter's B vs. D.S. Senanayake B.
Division 3 pre-quarter-finalists - St. Xaviers, Zahira Kalmunai, Basilica Ragama, Sri Rahula Kandy, Christ King, Tudella, Dharmaraja, Nalanda B. Dharmaloka, Ananda C, Eheliyagoda MV, Tissa MV, Siri Piyaratana MMV, St. Mary's Elpitiya, Bandaranayake MMV, St. Thomas' Kotte.
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